General life advice? Be friendly, but don't stress out about 'making friends.' If you're nice and considerate, people will want to hang out with you.

College advice? It depends on where you're going, but get to know your professors. Go to review sessions/office hours, ask questions after class. Just small things like that allow your professor to know you better, which makes class more enjoyable and can even lead to job opportunities if they're doing research you're interested in. Also, sit in the front of class! I usually preferred 2nd or 3rd row. Less people in front of you means less things to distract you from the professor.

Always read over and spell check your work! People will criticize and make judgments based on spelling errors, especially in the professional world. E-mails can also easily be misinterpreted, and communication can become easily muddled very quickly. My current employer has spent tens of thousands of dollars on implementing ways to improve communication. It's a very real issue that most corporations face, and basic spelling and grammar mistakes have the potential to really hinder your progress.

Basic life tip - always wear sunscreen.

Dorm room - Two things. One some sort of soft lighting. They tend to have pretty harsh lighting in the rooms, and they can really tire you out when you are studying for long periods of time. Softer lighting with be easier on your eyes and more relaxing. Two learn when to compromise and when to stand your ground. It's a good skill to have as you grow older and will help with a roommate. There are things that you will have to work together on, but if they are always eating your food or in your personal things you have to be able to put your foot down.

I was heavily involved in new-student orientation at a large university (45K+) in the US. The most important factor for new students is involvement. Many students fail or have trouble because they never get "plugged in" on any level. Go and research your colleges organizations - get involved in whatever interests you. Is there a freshman leadership program? Join it. Is there a society for biology majors? Join it. Do you like helping people? Check out new-student orientation programs, or other volunteer programs. The education you get outside of the class room is nearly as important as what you learn in the classroom when it comes to college. Learning how to work in teams and communicate effectively, learning how to lead and how to follow and support others - these are HUGE things that you can learn a lot about through student organizations.

I've seen an immense number of jobs stem from connections made in college through student organizations/volunteering/etc. Just join something; chess club, weight lifting team, anything makes a difference.

I know this not only from the classes/training I had in college retention, etc. but also from seeing it play out with my friends. Those friends of mine who got involved in some form or fashion almost all loved college, those friends of mine who joined no organizations and just did school then went home and played games or partied or whatever didn't like college so much and many dropped out.

So, my advice: GET INVOLVED! You won't regret it!

Go to study groups! Sometimes the best information for an exam is the information other people get from the assignments! Sometimes the groups consist of just talking about things you don't and do like about the class, but it builds relationships and it helps builds your notes and who is the smart one out of the group to get further information from via texting.

Basic Life Tip: Compound interest is your best friend. Start saving NOW for retirement. It will be here before you know it.

If someone asks you to turn the music down, do it. They may not be able to study with loud music.